a princess of mars-第12节

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Sarkoja　and　the　other　women　grunted　angrily　at　this　evidence

of　weakness　on　the　part　of　Sola。



〃It　is　sad；　Sola；　that　you　were　not　born　a　million　years

ago；〃　snapped　Sarkoja；　〃when　all　the　hollows　of　the　land

were　filled　with　water；　and　the　peoples　were　as　soft　as　the

stuff　they　sailed　upon。　　In　our　day　we　have　progressed　to　a

point　where　such　sentiments　mark　weakness　and　atavism。　　It

will　not　be　well　for　you　to　permit　Tars　Tarkas　to　learn

that　you　hold　such　degenerate　sentiments；　as　I　doubt

that　he　would　care　to　entrust　such　as　you　with　the

grave　responsibilities　of　maternity。〃



〃I　see　nothing　wrong　with　my　expression　of　interest　in

this　red　woman；〃　retorted　Sola。　　〃She　has　never　harmed　us；

nor　would　she　should　we　have　fallen　into　her　hands。　　It　is

only　the　men　of　her　kind　who　war　upon　us；　and　I　have　ever

thought　that　their　attitude　toward　us　is　but　the　reflection

of　ours　toward　them。　　They　live　at　peace　with　all　their　fellows；

except　when　duty　calls　upon　them　to　make　war；　while　we

are　at　peace　with　none；　forever　warring　among　our　own

kind　as　well　as　upon　the　red　men；　and　even　in　our　own

communities　the　individuals　fight　amongst　themselves。

Oh；　it　is　one　continual；　awful　period　of　bloodshed　from　the

time　we　break　the　shell　until　we　gladly　embrace　the　bosom　of

the　river　of　mystery；　the　dark　and　ancient　Iss　which　carries　us

to　an　unknown；　but　at　least　no　more　frightful　and　terrible

existence！　　Fortunate　indeed　is　he　who　meets　his　end　in　an

early　death。　　Say　what　you　please　to　Tars　Tarkas；　he　can　mete

out　no　worse　fate　to　me　than　a　continuation　of　the　horrible

existence　we　are　forced　to　lead　in　this　life。〃



This　wild　outbreak　on　the　part　of　Sola　so　greatly　surprised

and　shocked　the　other　women；　that；　after　a　few　words　of

general　reprimand；　they　all　lapsed　into　silence　and　were

soon　asleep。　　One　thing　the　episode　had　accomplished　was

to　assure　me　of　Sola's　friendliness　toward　the　poor　girl；　and

also　to　convince　me　that　I　had　been　extremely　fortunate　in

falling　into　her　hands　rather　than　those　of　some　of　the　other

females。　　I　knew　that　she　was　fond　of　me；　and　now　that　I

had　discovered　that　she　hated　cruelty　and　barbarity　I　was

confident　that　I　could　depend　upon　her　to　aid　me　and　the

girl　captive　to　escape；　provided　of　course　that　such　a　thing

was　within　the　range　of　possibilities。



I　did　not　even　know　that　there　were　any　better　conditions

to　escape　to；　but　I　was　more　than　willing　to　take　my　chances

among　people　fashioned　after　my　own　mold　rather　than

to　remain　longer　among　the　hideous　and　bloodthirsty　green

men　of　Mars。　　But　where　to　go；　and　how；　was　as　much　of　a

puzzle　to　me　as　the　age…old　search　for　the　spring　of　eternal

life　has　been　to　earthly　men　since　the　beginning　of　time。



I　decided　that　at　the　first　opportunity　I　would　take　Sola

into　my　confidence　and　openly　ask　her　to　aid　me；　and　with

this　resolution　strong　upon　me　I　turned　among　my　silks　and

furs　and　slept　the　dreamless　and　refreshing　sleep　of　Mars。









CHAPTER　X





CHAMPION　AND　CHIEF





Early　the　next　morning　I　was　astir。　　Considerable　freedom　was

allowed　me；　as　Sola　had　informed　me　that　so　long　as　I　did

not　attempt　to　leave　the　city　I　was　free　to　go　and　come　as

I　pleased。　　She　had　warned　me；　however；　against　venturing　forth

unarmed；　as　this　city；　like　all　other　deserted　metropolises　of

an　ancient　Martian　civilization；　was　peopled　by　the　great

white　apes　of　my　second　day's　adventure。



In　advising　me　that　I　must　not　leave　the　boundaries　of

the　city　Sola　had　explained　that　Woola　would　prevent　this

anyway　should　I　attempt　it；　and　she　warned　me　most　urgently

not　to　arouse　his　fierce　nature　by　ignoring　his　warnings

should　I　venture　too　close　to　the　forbidden　territory。　　His

nature　was　such；　she　said；　that　he　would　bring　me　back　into

the　city　dead　or　alive　should　I　persist　in　opposing　him；

〃preferably　dead；〃　she　added。



On　this　morning　I　had　chosen　a　new　street　to　explore　when

suddenly　I　found　myself　at　the　limits　of　the　city。　　Before

me　were　low　hills　pierced　by　narrow　and　inviting　ravines。

I　longed　to　explore　the　country　before　me；　and；　like　the

pioneer　stock　from　which　I　sprang；　to　view　what　the

landscape　beyond　the　encircling　hills　might　disclose

from　the　summits　which　shut　out　my　view。



It　also　occurred　to　me　that　this　would　prove　an　excellent

opportunity　to　test　the　qualities　of　Woola。　　I　was　convinced

that　the　brute　loved　me；　I　had　seen　more　evidences　of　affection

in　him　than　in　any　other　Martian　animal；　man　or　beast；

and　I　was　sure　that　gratitude　for　the　acts　that　had　twice

saved　his　life　would　more　than　outweigh　his　loyalty　to　the

duty　imposed　upon　him　by　cruel　and　loveless　masters。



As　I　approached　the　boundary　line　Woola　ran　anxiously

before　me；　and　thrust　his　body　against　my　legs。　　His　expression

was　pleading　rather　than　ferocious；　nor　did　he　bare　his

great　tusks　or　utter　his　fearful　guttural　warnings。　　Denied

the　friendship　and　companionship　of　my　kind；　I　had　developed

considerable　affection　for　Woola　and　Sola；　for　the　normal

earthly　man　must　have　some　outlet　for　his　natural　affections；

and　so　I　decided　upon　an　appeal　to　a　like　instinct　in　this

great　brute；　sure　that　I　would　not　be　disappointed。



I　had　never　petted　nor　fondled　him；　but　now　I　sat　upon

the　ground　and　putting　my　arms　around　his　heavy　neck　I

stroked　and　coaxed　him；　talking　in　my　newly　acquired

Martian　tongue　as　I　would　have　to　my　hound　at　home；　as　I

would　have　talked　to　any　other　friend　among　the　lower

animals。　　His　response　to　my　manifestation　of　affection　was

remarkable　to　a　degree；　he　stretched　his　great　mouth　to　its

full　width；　baring　the　entire　expanse　of　his　upper　rows　of

tusks　and　wrinkling　his　snout　until　his　great　eyes　were

almost　hidden　by　the　folds　of　flesh。　　If　you　have　ever　seen　a

collie　smile　you　may　have　some　idea　of　Woola's　facial　distortion。



He　threw　himself　upon　his　back　and　fairly　wallowed　at

my　feet；　jumped　up　and　sprang　upon　me；　rolling　me　upon

the　ground　by　his　great　weight；　then　wriggling　and　squirming

around　me　like　a　playful　puppy　presenting　its　back　for

the　petting　it　craves。　　I　could　not　resist　the　ludicrousness

of　the　spectacle；　and　holding　my　sides　I　rocked　back　and　forth

in　the　first　laughter　which　had　passed　my　lips　in　many　days；

the　first；　in　fact；　since　the　morning　Powell　had　left　camp

when　his　horse；　long　unused；　had　precipitately　and　unexpectedly

bucked　him　off　headforemost　into　a　pot　of　frijoles。



My　laughter　frightened　Woola；　his　antics　ceased　and　he

crawled　pitifully　toward　me；　poking　his　ugly　head　far　into

my　lap；　and　then　I　remembered　what　laughter　signified　on

Marstorture；　suffering；　death。　　Quieting　myself；　I　rubbed

the　poor　old　fellow's　head　and　back；　talked　to　him　for　a　few

minutes；　and　then　in　an　authoritative　tone　commanded　him

to　follow　me；　and　arising　started　for　the　hills。



There　was　no　further　question　of　authority　between　us；

Woola　was　my　devoted　slave　from　that　moment　hence；　and

I　his　only　and　undisputed　master。　　My　walk　to　the　hills

occupied　but　a　few　minutes；　and　I　found　nothing　of　particular

interest　to　reward　me。　　Numerous　brilliantly　colored　and

strangely　formed　wild　flowers　dotted　the　ravines　and　from

the　summit　of　the　first　hill　I　saw　still　other　hills　stretching　off

toward　the　north；　and　rising；　one　range　above　another；　until

lost　in　mountains　of　quite　respectable　dimensions；　though　I

afterward　found　that　only　a　few　peaks　on　all　Mars　exceed

four　thousand　feet　in　height；　the　suggestion　of　magnitude

was　merely　relative。



My　morning's　walk　had　been　large　with　importance　to

me　for　it　had　resulted　in　a　perfect　understanding　with　Woola；

upon　whom　Tars　Tarkas　relied　for　my　safe　keeping。　　I　now

knew　that　while　theoretically　a　prisoner　I　was　virtually　free；

and　I　hastened　to　regain　the　city　limits　before　the　defection

of　Woola　could　be　discovered　by　his　erstwhile　masters。　　The

adventure　decided　me　never　again　to　leave　the　limits　of　my

prescribed　stamping　grounds　until　I　was　ready　to　venture　forth

for　good　and　all；　as　it　would　certainly　result　in　a　curtailment

of　my　liberties；　as　well　as　the　probable　death　of　Woola；　were　we

to　be　discovered。



On　regaining　the　plaza　I　had　my　third　glimpse　of　the

captive　girl。　　She　was　standing　with　her　guards　before　the

entrance　to　the　audience　chamber；　and　as　I　approached　she

gave　me　one　haughty　glance　and　turned　her　back　full　upon

me。　　The　act　was　so　womanly；　so　earthly　womanly；　that

though　it　stung　my　pride　it　also　warmed　my　heart　with　a

feeling　of　companionship；　it　was　good　to　know　that　someone

else　on　Mars　beside　myself　had　human　instincts　of　a　civilized

order；　even　though　the　manifestation　of　them　was　so　painful

and　mortifying。



Had　a　green　Martian　woman　desired　to　show　dislike　or　contempt

she　would；　in　all　likelihood；　have　done　it　with　a　sword

thrust　or　a　movement　of　her　trigger　finger；　but